Penne with Asparagus and Prosciutto

Penne agli Asparagi e Prosciutto

Serves 4

This is one of our favorites in spring when sweet, meaty asparagus is in season. To infuse this sauce with a rich asparagus flavor, I save some of the water the asparagus cooks in and use it to deglaze the skillet.

3/4 pound asparagus

1/2 medium yellow onion

3 tablespoons butter

4 ounces prosciutto, sliced 1/8 inch thick

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2/3 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 pound penne (short fusilli or egg fettuccine are also good)

1. Fill a pot for the pasta with about 6 quarts of water, place over high heat, and bring to a boil.

2. Fill a 10-inch skillet (or asparagus cooker) with water, place over high heat, and bring to a boil.

3. Cut off the white, woody bottom part o[ the asparagus spears, then peel the remaining bottom third. Add 1 teaspoon salt to the boiling water, then gently slide in the asparagus. Cook until the asparagus is tender, 5 to 6 minutes, then lift it out and set aside. Save 1/2 cup of the water the asparagus was cooked in.

4. While the asparagus is cooking, peel and finely chop the onion. Put the butter in a 12-inch skillet, add the chopped onion, and place over mediumhigh heat. Sauté until the onion has turned a rich golden color, about 5 minutes.

When the onion is ready, add the prosciutto and sauté until it loses its raw color, 1 to 2 minutes.

6. Cut the asparagus into 1-inch lengths and add them to the pan. Continue sautéing until the asparagus becomes lightly colored, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the saved asparagus water and continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated completely, loosening any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet.